I'm a vegan, a long time reader, and a slow but determined runner. I'm a PhD and math professor with a great family and a pack of dogs. Follow me on Facebook at http://facebook.com/zuzubeat or Twitter and Instagram @zuzubeat

Sunday, September 29, 2013

On Saturday, Rob, Copper, and I went to the DCVegfest. This yearly event brings together vegans, vegetarians, and veg-friendly folks. This year's event was more popular than ever! Rob and I spent the first few hours walking around, and then volunteered with VSDC, a local non-profit.

We had a great time at the DCVegfest, and a lovely visit with Rob's mom, Paula. Now I am really looking forward to the Acorns A go-go vegan festival in Greenbelt in a few weeks! I've got a race this week (#14 of the year, I think!) the Children's Hospital 5k. I signed up for this one with some walker friends, and as I have a long run on Friday, and Rob is also signed up (he hasn't been training as much as he has wanted), I don't know if I will run or walk this one.

This happens to be just a few blocks from one of my favorite Vegan eateries in DC Sticky Fingers!

Sunday:

Rest day

Vegetable soup

I haven't been reading as much as I would like, so I am re-reading John Irving's The world according to Garp, because that always seems to get me back into loving books. I have recently purchased some books I am looking forward to reading, including Shirley Jackson's The haunting of Hill House, a great scary book to read when the weather starts getting chilly!

Friday, September 27, 2013

Who knew? They made me a beautiful vegan dinner at Rob's Awards dinner!

It is not difficult to vegan is something, although some places do it better than others. One local restaurant always impresses, while another generally disappoints. You just have to ask, and find out what you like.

In my experience, the more notice you can give the kitchen, the better. Rob contacted this place a few weeks ago. The rest of the people got a buffet dinner, but they brought my plate out just as my table was called. Classy. Thank you, River's Edge!

Thursday, September 26, 2013

We spent the weekend in Ocean City. OC is a very dear place to us, as we got married there, on the beach at 10th St. We've tried to go at least once a summer since. Mia got to join us this year, and we had a blast! We started out the weekend by stopping in to Pepper's Tavern on the Boardwalk. They serve VERY spicy wings- and Rob wanted to see if he could meet that challenge. He and my brothers each ate a few in 2011. This year he ate 6, and signed his name for a second time on the wall. (This is the prize for eating more than 3). There isn't too much on the menu at Pepper's for me to eat, although the last time we were here the cook made me a GREAT vegan taco salad.

Mia and I weren't too hungry, so we shared a side of fries- Mia got a bowl of some hot garlic sauce to dip hers in- but it had butter, so I made my own hot sauce by mixing several salsas.
The bloody marys at Pepper's are great- because they have a fixings bar where you make it yourself. They had an organic vegan bloody mary mix, to which I added garlic and horseradish, olives, and celery.

Rob signed his name next to his last signature. The food was so spicy, he acted a little goofy for the next few hours.

Not quite a full moon, but a beautiful one!

We love to play skee-ball on the boardwalk, and there is a spot to play very near to our hotel.

There's a haunted ride at the South end of the boardwalk which we rode, and shrieked on! It's not scary at all, but quaint.

Now, about the food:
Saturday morning, after my long run (7.35 miles!!) I was HUNGRY! First we went by My Nature, a new, vegan, raw food deli where we got smoothies to drink. Then we stopped at Malia's Cafe, where they had vegan gluten-free waffles! Wow!

These were GREAT, and we decided to return to Malia's again for lunch. They have a number of options on their lunch menu which are vegan or can easily be made so. Unfortunately, they closed at 2 on Sunday, and we missed lunch there. We ate instead at the Greenhouse Deli, which had meat, veg, and vegan options for all of us!

It's not difficult to veganize regular menu items. At Guido's Burrito, I was able to custom order a vegan burrito with no issues. Most cooks are willing to accommodate, and restaurants generally make nutritional information pretty easy to find or ask for.

While we didn't eat at Pizza Boy's this year (We generally do- and the owners, George and his son, Rob are super nice about making vegan pizzas for me) we did spend a little time on their porch, because that is the best dolphin spotting location on the whole Boardwalk.

Sunday morning, Mia had a smoothie and Rob and I had bloody marys on the south end of the boardwalk after our run (2.7 miles for me). Lots of walking this weekend!

Trimper's Amusements is located at the south end of the boardwalk, and we finished out our weekend by exploring the Pirate's cove, and playing at the shooting gallery, where we discovered a neat trick about cameras and the light-sensitive targets.

Mia requested Eggplant Parmesean for dinner. I baked the eggplant following the recipe I posted last month here, except using organic bread crumbs from MOM's instead of Panko. I also used the marinara sauce I canned on Monday, sprinkled with a little daiya cheese.
For the side, I made some broccolini, first steaming it lightly, then adding some basil.

Here's how I am making my soup tonight... (adapted from holisticvibes.com)Ingredients:Tomatoes, lots of them. I am using roma tomatoes, and filled a cake pan with them.Garlic, lots of it. I used 6-7 cloves, but may use more next time.4 c. vegetable brothKosher SaltItalian Olive Oil (it's flavored with Basil and Rosemary and the like.)Black Pepper to taste4 c. Almond MilkDirections:Preheat oven to 375°F. Put a little oil in the bottom, add the tomatoes in a roasting pan roll them a bit in the oil, then top with salt. Bake for approximately one hour.

Roast the peeled cloves of garlic in a soup pot with some olive oil. Then add the tomatoes (juice and all) and vegetable broth, and simmer for about twenty minutes. You may want to blend the tomatoes first- I put about half of them in the blender, so it was a little chunky. After 20 min, add the milk. Simmer an additional 10 minutes.

Serve and top with some fresh ground black pepper.

I also served this with some toasted rolls topped with Daiya cheese I put in the still-warm oven.I had more tomatoes, so I made some marinara sauce: (Loosely based off of the Vegan Stoner recipe)Ingredients: 6-7 chopped Roma tomatoes1 bunch celery, chopped1/2 onion, chopped6-7 baby carrots, chopped (big carrots would work, too- but this is what I had)Basil4 cloves garlic, chopped

All of this went in a big pot and simmered quite some time.

I then canned the sauce, and my leftover soup- Yum!The sauce came out a little chunky, so when I used it the next day, I threw it in the blender, and it smoothed right out.

Monday, September 23, 2013

We had the loveliest weekend in Ocean City! It's hard to wake up this morning and plan for the week!

Monday:

Rest day. I put a lot of miles on this weekend, so no running today, although I will take the dogs for a walk at lunchtime.

Dinner is tomato bisque soup I will make from scratch. I have a bunch of lovely organic Roma tomatoes I need to use.

Tuesday:

Short run, 1-2 miles. Gym cross train with Mia.

Mia has requested eggplant Parmesan for dinner. I will bake the eggplant instead of frying it, like I do for my sandwiches!

Wednesday:

Run 4 miles.

I am craving falafels. Gotta remember to save a tomato or two. I will put these on pita bread with arugula and make some garlic tahini dressing.

Thursday:

Short run, 1-2 miles. Gym cross train with Mia.

Choir night. Leftovers all around.

Friday:

Long run, 7.5 miles.

Rob has a service award dinner, so I will see what I can do there. Eating out at restaurants can be difficult, but catered events can sometimes be downright impossible. I will pack a snack in my purse!

Saturday:

DC VEGFEST! Are you going? You should! Rob and I are volunteers for the late afternoon shift. This is always a great event, with lovely food. If you're in the DMV area, please check out DCvegfest.com for details!

Sunday:

Rob and I are going to visit his mom, Paula. We'll likely watch some football, so maybe I will pick up something to make. Also, I'm thinking of bringing Copper, if I do, I'll take her on a little run. Sometime this week I will make and freeze a black bean sweet potato casserole for when we get back.

I'm currently reading The Likeness, by Tana French. Also listening to The Ocean at the end of the Lane. Will read next Neil Gaiman's Fortunately the Milk, then Seth Grahme-Smith's Unholy Night.

Rob has been on a reading kick, too! He's currently reading Stephen King's Salem's Lot.

Sunday, September 15, 2013

Oh, thank goodness it is fall-like weather this week. I just can't eat soups and such when it's warm out. This chilly weather has me craving CHILLI, which I will make a big pot of on Monday and likely reheat for lunches all week.

I guess I am on a Sarah Kramer (#govegandotnet) kick this week, three recipes are hers.

Sunday:

Rest day

Late afternoon baked potatoes

Baseball game in the evening

Monday:

Run 3 miles

Cross train class at noon

Dinner is chilli and cornbread muffins. Will likely crock pot this.

Tuesday:

Run 2 miles

Gym/yoga class with Mia

Dinner is ginger seitan.

Wednesday:

Run 4 miles

Cross train class at noon

Dinner is black bean and sweet potato burritos.

Thursday:

Run 2 miles

Gym with Mia

Choir rehearsal, so dinner on the go is tempeh "chikn" salad. Last week I didn't eat prior to rehearsal, and my belly was GRUMBLING!

We are headed up to Ocean City next weekend, so I will do my long run Saturday. 7 miles on the boardwalk! It looks like it will warm up by the weekend. A new vegan restaurant, My Nature, opened up there this past spring, which I am anxious to try.

Currently reading Full Dark No Stars by Stephen King, and The Likeness by Tana French.

Sunday, September 8, 2013

I have so much to be thankful for, but most of all, I am really fortunate that she is in my life. Not only is she a beautiful young woman, but she is also wicked smart, friendly, confident, talented, and kind.